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Have you ever been swimming in one of the Great Lakes and suddenly realized that your towel and shoes were way up the beach? It’s likely that the gentle pull of a current gradually influenced you to move while swimming. Many currents are like this — nothing to worry about.

However, currents that are stronger, and therefore more dangerous, are fairly common in the Great Lakes. As currents strengthen, they can turn from inconvenient to dangerous and even deadly. A current is technically considered “dangerous” when it reaches 2 mph or faster, however, there are some currents like those found near structures that can be dangerous at slower speeds.

This website is part of an outreach effort to educate Great Lakes swimmers about dangerous currents. You will find:

Michigan Sea Grant outreach specialists are leading a project that is focused on reducing the risk of drowning from dangerous currents. This project is part of a 20-year effort promoting dangerous current awareness.

Dangerous Current awareness is part of a state and regional effort led by Michigan Sea Grant in collaboration with the NOAA-National Weather Service, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Technological University and others. The MDEQ Coastal Management Program supported the development of many educational programs and public outreach products.